Package theft happens to 42% of city dwellers, 26% of suburbians, and 19% of people who live in rural areas. Starship's service gives consumers complete control over when their packages arrive so that packages are never left unattended. According to August's Home Package Theft Report, victims of package theft are spending on average $200+ to replace each package and a study by Shorr Packaging Corp found that 41% of respondents avoided purchasing online goods like electronics because they feared packages would be stolen.

The new service will be available to residents in the Bay Area, California before the end of the year. It is available now through Starship's official app (iOS and Android) for residents living in the UK (Milton Keynes), who are now able to have packages delivered to their front door whenever they choose at the click of a button. Once signed-up on the app, people will receive a 'personal address' in place of their home address or whichever location they normally get parcels delivered to.

This personal address will be the location of a Starship managed local facility, and consumers will be notified via the app when their package has arrived there. They can then choose a time for one of Starship's robots to deliver it to their home, place of work or any other location nearby, while also being able to track the robot's journey in real time via the app.

"We're excited that thanks to our technology, local communities across the globe will never miss a home delivery again," said Lex Bayer, Starship's Chief Executive Officer. "Today, more than ever, people lead busy and diverse lives. The hassle of needing to re-arrange your life for a delivery will become a thing of the past. No more having to switch your working from home day, reschedule meetings, visit a locker, drive to a post office or contact a courier all because of a missed delivery. Starship gets packages to consumers when and where they want them. This is the only service of its kind available in the world today, and it works around your lifestyle."

Lex added: "Consumers are in control - they choose when an order comes to their door and there's no need to use a locker service to collect deliveries. We provide the locker and the delivery, saving time and making consumers' lives easier."